TOOTH FILLINGS

• Toothache
• Sensitivity to sweets, hot or cold
• Visible cavity (a hole) in a tooth
• The existing filling is cracked
• Other Visible Signs: Chipped or cracked teeth, torn/shredded dental floss when cleaning them or food particles getting lodged between teeth.

Dental fillings come in various materials, from gold and silver amalgam fillings to tooth-colored white fillings such as porcelain, composite, or glass ionomer cement.

At Leslie Family Dental, the answer is ALL THE TIME. We exclusively use white tooth fillings. Our office does not place metallic fillings.

The choice of white filling material depends on factors such as:

Composites: Ideal for concealing fillings and adding aesthetic appeal, composite resin fillings may take more time in the dental chair to install.

Ceramic: Made of porcelain, these tiles resist staining while retaining color for extended use.

Glass Ionomer: It uses acrylic and specific glass compounds for cavities below the gumline in children or for use when treating cavities below them; it releases fluoride for tooth strengthening.

White fillings tend to last between five and 15 years, depending on their material; composite fillings last an estimated five years, while ceramic or glass ionomer cement solutions may need replacement after 10 to 15 years.

White fillings like composite resin or porcelain offer aesthetic versatility and stability when exposed to temperature variations while being stronger than amalgam fillings with less drilling involved.

We get asked this question a lot. The answer is “It depends.”
Generally speaking, if there is nothing wrong with your metal fillings, it is probably best to leave them alone. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
However, if the metal fillings are cracked, chipped, worn, leaky or have decay around them, you should definitely consider replacing them. If you are contemplating getting a crown over a tooth with an old metallic filling, you should consider replacing it first with a composite resin filling before preparing the tooth for a crown.
If the esthetics are very important to you and you are specifically looking to improve them then you can consider replacing the existing amalgam fillings that you may have. However, you should always consult with the dentist regarding the possible risks associated with switching your metal fillings to white tooth fillings. In some cases, it may be best to leave the metal filling alone because the area where the filling needs to be placed may prevent the placement of a white tooth filling due to moisture presence.

The most common risk is post-operative thermal sensitivity (cold sensitivity) which may linger for a few weeks to a few months. Eventually it usually goes away completely.

If your existing metal filling is very deep and close to the nerve of the tooth, there may also be risk of the nerve not surviving the procedure and the tooth needing a root canal treatment as a result. It may not always be possible to predict the outcome accurately when it comes to replacing very deep metal fillings. In many cases, deep metal fillings get replaced without any issues. Having a recent dental x-ray image of the subject tooth is important in assessing the situation and the dentist may recommend taking one prior to such a procedure. We encourage you to always have a healthy dialogue with the dentist about this if you insist on a replacement of a deep metal filling for esthetic purposes only. If the metal filling is defective and needs to be replaced, it is a risk that you will have to take and the dentist will mention it before treating you.

Over time, Composite fillings may become discolored at their edges from substances like coffee, red wine, black tea or tobacco.  This happens because of wear and deterioration of the composite material over time.  Sometimes the stain may be polished off with dental polishing burs.  However, if it does not polish off, replacement of the filling with a new filling should be considered.

Composite resin fillings involve anesthetizing the area, removing the decay or old filling, etching of the preparation surface with acidic compound, rinsing off, drying the area and isolating it from saliva/blood, applying bonding agent, air drying, layering the composite material, and incrementally light curing with the composite special UV lighting. Once set, the composite resin filling is fully hardened and ready for use immediately.

You can eat and drink immediately since the filling is fully set by the time the procedure is done. Having said this, when it comes to eating, you must be careful when chewing because the anesthetic (if administered to you) may still be very active and you may not have a good sensation of your tongue, lip or cheek. Therefore, you may want to be careful when chewing to avoid possible bite trauma. It is always a safe bet to wait until the anesthetic wears out before eating but if you must eat immediately, you can do so with caution. When it comes to drinking fluids, you should be careful with hot drinks so as to avoid getting a burn if still anesthetized.

Maintain your white fillings by brushing and flossing regularly using a soft toothbrush, using nonabrasive toothpaste, reducing exposure to staining substances, using alcohol-containing mouthwashes sparingly, refraining from noneating activities using teeth, scheduling regular check-ins with your dentist and scheduling regular dental checkups.

The setting time for dental fillings can vary based on the chosen filling material. Our composite white fillings typically harden immediately after the dental procedure.